Book Review: At the End of the Day by Liz Bryski

 At the End of the Day

by

Liz Bryski

 

It is never too late to make friends....

 

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 28th September 2021

 

Genre: Contemporary fiction

 

Pages: 336

 

RRP: $32.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback 

 

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

 When Mim Squires and Mathias Vander are stranded together on a disrupted flight home to Perth, they are surprised to find that they have much in common. Mim owns a bookshop, Mathias is a writer, and both are at turning points in their lives. Mim's childhood polio is taking a toll on her life. Mathias is contemplating a cross-continent move to be nearer his daughter.

But life back in Perth is not smooth sailing, with their respective family members going through their own upheavals. As Mim and Mathias both struggle to adjust to the challenges of being in their late seventies, secrets from the past that neither wishes to face rise to the surface, challenging their long-held beliefs in their independence and singularity.

At the end of the day, can they muster the wisdom and the courage they need to change?

 

My review

 

Miriam Squires is on her return to Perth after visiting her sister in England. She is starting to feel the effects of post polio and wonders if she will have the strength to make this trip again.

Mathias Vander is stopping over in Perth , to visit his daughter, on his return from Brussels where he was visiting his childhood friend Luc. Luc is dying and Mathias knows that was the last time he would see his old friend.

 

Miriam and Mathias meet while on an unplanned extended stopover and  find they have a lot in common. Their ensuing friendship enriches and changes not only their lives but also the lives of the people they hold most dear.

 

This was my first Liz Bryski novel and I love how her characters are real people with real flaws; they get annoyed with people, say the wrong thing at times and are often overwhelmed with life.

 

Miriam and Mathias had both migrated to Australia many years ago leaving behind family and friends and Liz Bryski highlights the dilemma caused by advancing age as they each find the trips back home harder and harder

As we watch Miriam and Mathias'  friendship grow the couple find they can open up about events they suffered as children and have kept locked away.

 

I enjoyed Liz Bryski's engaging writing style and even though many of the characters had faced adverse circumstances during their lives, which were quite emotional to read, the story on a whole was heartfelt and touching.

The book concludes on the cusp of the Covid19 pandemic. And we all know how that pans out!

 

Liz Bryski delivers engaging women's fiction through likeable characters and relatable life events. I am looking forward to reading some of her back list. 

 

my rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Photo: Goodreads

 Liz Bryski is a novelist, non-fiction writer, former journalist and ABC broadcaster, with more than fifty years experience in the British and Australian media. She is the author of eleven bestselling novels, including Gang of Four and A Month of Sundays, as well as more than a dozen non-fiction books. She lives close to Freemantle in Western Australia, with Gazza, her three-year-old rescue dog who is in charge of exercise, household security and chasing cats. She has two sons and twin grandsons.

  

 

 

 
 

 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21